


Ghostly Love

by ConditionsForVictory



Category: Carmilla - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Angst, F/F, Fluff, Happy Ending, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 19:00:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7769389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConditionsForVictory/pseuds/ConditionsForVictory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carmilla Karnstein haunts her old house. When the Hollis family moves in she thinks it'll just be another haunting. Expect their young daughter is really loud, really cute, and can see her. Carmilla can't believe it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ghostly Love

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the longest one shot I have ever written. I actually haven't posted anything in a while so please bear with me. Comments and kudos are extremely appreciated and will most likely make me smile and happy.

On the night of Mircalla Karnstein’s eighteenth birthday every room in her family’s lavish home was filled to the brim with laughter and celebration. Her father has spared no expense. Only the best champagne and food was allowed entry in the 17th century mansion.

 

Mircalla shone like a glittering diamond the entire night. Both men and women watched in awe of her angelic beauty as she waltzed around the ball room with one of her many possible suitors. Her melodic laughter carried through the large room and her father revelled in it. To him there was no greater joy than hearing his daughter’s happy laughter. As the night progressed the alcohol flowed like a golden river and soon no one in the house could utter a sober thought. The laughter got louder and the music got sloppier. But no one noticed.

 

And no one noticed a certain brunette and blonde sneak away to the gardens and into the woods.

 

Mircalla gripped Elle’s hand in a vice grip and shoved her against the wall.

“You look beautiful.” Mircalla whispered before latching onto Elle’s soft pink lips. Elle smiled and looped her arms around Mircalla’s neck.

 

“I’m going to miss this.” Elle sighed against Mircalla’s forehead when they broke apart.

Frowning Mircalla asked. “Miss this? What do you mean?”

“I mean I’ve really enjoyed this.” Elle explained. “But it can’t continue. You’re eighteen now Mircalla. You need to find a husband.”

“What?” Mircalla took a step away from the stunning blonde to look at her with wide eyes. “But we love each other.”

“It isn’t enough Mircalla.” Elle pushed. “You can’t look after me like a man can. I’m sorry but I need to think of my future.”

“So this is you cutting me out of your future?” Mircalla demanded her voice edging on anger.

“I’m not asking you to leave Mircalla.” Elle pleaded reaching for Mircalla’s hands. “We can still be friends.”

Mircalla ripped her hands away from Elle and shook her head, tears streaming down her porcelain face. “Stay away from me.” She hissed before rushing away, hastily attempting to wipe her face.

In Mircalla’s heartbreak she blindly ran through the woods and soon lost her way. In a panic she began to run in all directions. The bright lights of the house were nowhere to be seen. Mircalla had grown up here and yet she couldn’t recognize where she was. Looking forward she noticed a dim light a few metre a head.

“Hello?” She called but received no reply. Walking slowly forward the light began to grow. It was too dark to see what it was or where she was heading. Behind her a large growl emanated from the shadows. Without thinking Mircalla began to run for her life.

* * *

Yawning Carmilla stretched and floated to the nearest window that overlooked the long winding driveway. Several moving trucks cluttered the stoned road as workers off loaded box after box. Carmilla frowned disapprovingly. Folding her arms and leaning against the glass window she watched the new occupants of her old home move in. From what Carmilla could see they were a rather wealthy family. Carmilla shook her head. She couldn’t understand why people had to live here. It was already a museum.

About a hundred and thirty years ago a man named JP Armitage bought the house and turned it into a museum for Austrian artefacts and culture. However since the house was so large a portion of it was sold off as living space. Something to do with JP’s brother’s gambling debts needing to be paid off.

Anyway, typically the families that lived in the house worked for the museum. However they never really stayed long. Why? Well because the house was rumoured to be haunted. Carmilla chuckled and floated out the room, downstairs, and into the foyer. She wanted to see the new family up close. It had been a few years since a new family moved in. Carmilla was relived. She had been growing bored.

Out of nowhere a shrill crying broke out and Carmilla winced and covered her ears. “What the frilly hell is that?”

Floating into the next room to investigate Carmilla was greeted by the sight of a baby lying in a crib. “Oh come on.” Carmilla groaned. “A baby? Really?” Carmilla was never a fan of children. They were loud, nosy and obnoxious creatures. A baby was even worse.

Coming closer to the crib Carmilla noticed the baby was a girl, probably no older than year old. Carmilla took in the mess of honey brown hair and chubby rose cheeks. Snot and drool dribbled down her chin and her eyes were screwed shut.

“You look disgusting.” Carmilla deadpanned. Abruptly the baby stopped crying and looked up in wonder. For a moment ghost and baby stared at each other. While one was curious about the new person staring down at her the other was in shock. Those warm honey brown eyes took Carmilla in. No one besides mother had seen Carmilla in hundreds of years. And yet here was a little baby, staring at Carmilla.

The little girl raised a tiny hand and reached for one of Carmilla’s dark curls. Without thinking Carmilla leaned down so that her hair was just in reach. Just before the baby touched her hair a deep voice broke the fragile moment.

“Laura?” Carmilla was so surprised by the unexpected voice she jumped back and whirled around in a defensive position. A tall man entered the room with a look of concern on his handsome features. Rushing to the crib the man picked up the now silent girl and gently rocked her back and forth. “What had you so upset my darling?” The man cooed and wiped the baby’s face. The baby hiccupped and giggled before pointing right at Carmilla.

“What is it honey?” The man asked and looked over at Carmilla but he didn’t see anything. “Are you looking at your new home?” The man laughed and kissed the baby’s cheek. “You’re going to be happy here. Mommy and I just know it.”

“Mr Hollis?” A worker called from the foyer. “We need you to sign something.”

“Daddy is going to be back soon honey.” Placing his daughter back into the crib he placed a teddy bear next to her. When he left the room Carmilla exhaled an unneeded breath and stared at the crib.

Just who is this Laura Hollis?

~~~~

* * *

 

Four years later and Carmilla stands by what she said.

Children are obnoxious, loud and nosy. And little Laura takes it to the extremes.

She runs around all over the place, she screams and sings on the top of her lungs and she just loves investigating everything. If you think a locked door can stop four year old adventurer Laura Hollis you are sorely mistaken.

Carmilla should find the tiny pipsqueak irritating. She should up her haunting and get the family out. But since she’s dead and no one can hear her there’s one thing she’ll admit.

“The damn little thing is cute.” Carmilla growled in frustration and angrily rubbed the grin that was on her face. She was floating high up in the ceiling watching the little gremlin.

Laura was playing with her toys. Trucks, cars, dolls, ponies she had the whole toy store out. She was giving them a lesson on how to read and write. Something she started learning this year. While sitting beside Voldetort, the evil tortoise, Laura gripped her favourite Harry Potter book and tried to read words she didn’t yet understand. Carmilla’s frown cracked into grin yet again when Laura pronounced Dumbledore as Dum-bed-tor.

This girl was exceptionally smart. Limits to her were just challenges. Carmilla wouldn’t admit it to herself, but she really enjoyed watching the little brat. Floating lower to the ground Carmilla came almost face to face with Laura. Subconsciously Carmilla moved behind the young girl before Laura could face her.

For some reason Laura could sense Carmilla. Ever since that first day Carmilla had been careful not to be seen by the girl. And yet when Carmilla would enter a room Laura would look in Carmilla’s direction. As if the young child had seen her enter. Carmilla found it unnerving and so tried her best never to be seen. She had only failed three times in the four years the Hollis family has lived here. Sitting behind Laura Carmilla read over the girl’s shoulder and listened contently to Laura’s slow struggled attempts. Carmilla shook her head. She couldn’t believe Laura was reading this. A laugh slipped out of the brunette at another mispronunciation which caused Laura to whirl around and stare right at Carmilla.

“You!” Laura exclaimed with glee which caused Carmilla to frown.

“Me?” Carmilla inquired softly. Laura stood up and jumped excitedly.

“Yeah.” The little girl nodded as she put her hands behind her back and swayed forward and backward. “I never see you anymore. I can feel you but you never let me see you.”

 _Oh my god is she pouting?_ Carmilla blinked in disbelief. Not only did this little girl remember seeing her but she was also upset by the fact that Carmilla avoided her.

“You’re not supposed to see me.” Carmilla stated.

“Why?” Laura tilted her head.

“Because…uh…” Carmilla couldn’t come up with a reason.

“See!” The young girl giggled and took a step towards Carmilla. “You’re just being stubborn. Be my friend?”

“How does a four year old know what stubborn is?” Carmilla grumbled.

“Mommy calls daddy stubborn when he’s being silly.” Laura reasoned. Carmilla nodded and leant back against her arms as she surveyed the girl. _I shouldn’t be talking to her._

“We can’t be friends sweetheart.” Carmilla shook her head.

“Why?” Laura pouted again.

“Because-.” _I am an undead entity._ “Your parents won’t like it.” Laura visibly deflated.

“Yeah…” She sniffled a little. “My parents don’t let me have any friends.” For a moment Carmilla felt guilty. It was true the adult Hollis’ were tough on their daughter. She was never allowed to leave the house except for school. Even then she was never allowed to go to a friend’s house and they were never allowed to come here. The poor child craved interaction. Her parents were far too busy to give it to her and too controlling to let other’s give it to her.

Despite Carmilla’s better judgement she sighed and rubbed her head. “Okay buttercup. We can be friends.” Laura shrieked with happiness and lunged at Carmilla to give her a hug.

Of course she went straight through Carmilla and landed on her face. She was too shocked to cry. “First we need to talk about a few things.” Carmilla chuckled and tried desperately to ignore the tingling she felt when the young girl passed through her.

* * *

 

Five years later and Carmilla is chasing after an excited nine-year-old on her birthday. Thunderous footsteps bound down the corridors and bright laughter echoed against the walls.

Carmilla couldn’t keep the smile off her face if she tried.

“Slow down Cupcake!” Carmilla warned the young girl as she bounded down the steps. Of course the little gremlin didn’t listen and ended up missing a few steps. Carmilla flew down and helped Laura catch her balance before she fell and hurt herself. “Laura…” Carmilla warned.

“Sorry Carm.” Laura giggled her apology and continued to race in the house but at a slightly slower pace. Carmilla shook her head but chuckled anyway. _I’m sure if I were alive this girl would be the death of me._

In the ball room a feast waited for the birthday girl. Her parents went all out. There was a tower of cupcakes, cookies lined the tables, sugary sweets coloured the room and there was a chocolate fountain. It was dentist’s dream come true. Carmilla shook her head and made her spot in the corner of the room.

“Hey Laura!” Susan Lafontaine greeted and hugged her friend.

“Hey Susan.” Laura jumped in their embrace and hugged her friend tightly. “I’m so happy you could come.”

Laura’s other friend, Lola Perry, was shyly standing by waiting patiently waiting for her turn to greet the birthday girl. Laura was the picture of happiness.

They sang happy birthday to the young girl and she blew out the candles with tightly shut eyes when she opened them she looked at Carmilla, a look Carmilla couldn’t quite decipher.

Her parents mingled with the other parents while Laura and her friends took over the house. The trio decided to play hide and seek. While the two gingers scattered Laura counted to twenty five.

“Carm where did they go?” Laura whispered while looking.

“That would be cheating cutie.” Carmilla raised an eyebrow.

“But it’s my birthday!” The young girl reasoned. Carmilla shook her head but with the way those honey eyes were staring at her Carmilla’s resolve crumbled.

“Over here.” Carmilla grumbled but smiled when Laura hooted. As they walked Laura reached for Carmilla’s hand, only to be met with air.

“What did we talk about Cupcake?” Carmilla chastised lightly.

“I can’t touch you.” Laura grumbled. Carmilla nodded and clenched her hand, trying not the think about the heat that she could feel from Laura’s tiny fingers.

“Hey Carm?”

“Yeah cutie?”

“You wanna know what I wished for?” Laura shuffled her feet a little shyly.

Curious Carmilla stopped walking and looked down. “What did you wish for?”

Before Laura could answer a crashing sound came from the room next to the little girl and a loud scream. “Perry!” Laura screamed before running to where the crashing sound emanated from.

“Laura stop.” Carmilla ordered but the young girl ignored her and ran into the room. Carmilla chased her and found a two large men trying to grab both girls. Laura didn’t bat an eye at the intruders but instead attacked them with all of her nine-year old fury.

If Carmilla wasn’t so shocked and scared for the girl she may have been impressed. Laura jumped the one man who was about to grab the ginger child and bit the man’s hand. _Laura Hollis what in the name of everything are you?_

The second man went to grab Laura and she screamed. Laura’s scream did something to Carmilla. She began to shake with a level of fury she had never felt before in her life.

“Don’t you fucking dare touch my Cupcake!” Carmilla screamed. At the same time the drawers and shelves rattled and exploded hitting the men and knocking them unconscious. The little ginger ran out the room crying for her parents while Laura lay on the ground. Her eyes closed.

“Laura!” Carmilla cried and dropped to her knees next to Laura’s tiny body. Ghostly fingers touched Laura’s neck only too late to realise Carmilla couldn’t actually feel a pulse. Laura mumbled something when her fingers brushed Laura’s neck.

“Laura?” The relief Carmilla felt hit her like a wave and she wanted nothing more than to pull Laura into her arms and cry.

“Tickles.” She mumbled again. _Tickles? She felt that?_

“Laura!” Laura’s father, David, ran in and pulled his daughter into his arms. “Veronica! Call the police and an ambulance.” David’s wife quickly nodded and pulled out her phone.

 _She could feel me._ Carmilla stared down at her hands. _How?_

* * *

 

Seven years later Carmilla was lounging on Laura’s bed. Her head was on the cupcake’s favourite pillow and she was reading Laura’s set English reading book for school. Yawning at Gatsby Carmilla rolled over and closed her eyes. She was bored. She hated having to wait for Laura to finish school.

The sound of a slamming door signal the short girl’s arrival and Carmilla grinned. Before Laura entered the room Carmilla neutralised her features. Heaven forbid Laura knew how happy Carmilla was to see her.

“Hey Carm.” Laura greeted with her usual sunny smile. Throwing her bag down she collapsed onto the bed next to Carmilla and groaned.

“Hello cutie.” Carmilla chuckled. “Was school horrible as usual?”

“The worst, I wish my mom was home. She would know how to deal with the idiots.” Laura’s reply was muffled against her polka dot duvet.

“Ah, jocks being dicks again? Well your mom flies soon doesn’t she?”

“Yeah next week. Anyway what did you get up to?”

“Oh you know, ghost things.” Carmilla replied. Laura rolled her eyes and whacked Carmilla’s arm out of habit.

Except this time it made contact. Immediately both girls froze. “What the…” Laura breathed and reached out to touch Carmilla again but this time her fingers went through Carmilla as the usually did. “Maybe I just imagined it.” Laura said to herself but refused to look at Carmilla.

Carmilla stayed quiet and tried not to freak out. _That didn’t happen. It can’t happen._

Carmilla was awkward around Laura for a couple days after that. She didn’t know what to do. She knew what this meant. The damned witch was right. Carmilla should be happy but she wasn’t. Something bad was going to happen. She knew it. She needed to warn Laura.

Carmilla was too late with her warning though.

“Hey Laura?” Carmilla started one night.

“Yeah?” Laura looked up. When Carmilla used her name it always made her nervous.

“There’s something I need to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“It’s about the night I died… you see my father did something…” However Carmilla couldn’t finish that sentence because David Hollis came into Laura’s room with tears streaming down his face.

“Laura.” He chocked. “Your mother... her plane crashed.”

Laura was different after that and understandably so. She was more withdrawn, more angry. She focused only on her work. She didn’t go out and she didn’t speak to Carmilla. She didn’t speak to anyone. Her father sent her to grief counselling but they couldn’t do anything for her because she refused to speak of her mother. To Laura the very name Veronica was too taboo to speak aloud.

“It’s your fault isn’t it?” Laura whispered into the darkness one night when she couldn’t sleep. Although the two hadn’t spoken in months Carmilla knew what she was talking out.

“I didn’t know it would be your mother.” Carmilla whispered back from her spot in the corner of Laura’s room where she had spent every night for the last sixteen years.

“Why didn’t you tell me.”

“I didn’t know it was going to happen. I tried but I was too late.” Carmilla wanted to cry. “How did you know?”

“You always have this guilty look on your face. Not sympathy. Guilt.” Laura spat. “Why do you think I can’t look at you anymore?” Carmilla winced and curled within herself.

“Laura I am so-.”

“Don’t.” Laura hissed. “Tell me Carmilla. Tell me the truth.” Carmilla’s shoulders slumped and she nodded even though it was too dark to see her.

“The night I died I was killed by a bear. I wandered too far into the wild woods.” Carmilla swallowed and looked at her hands. “My father was distraught. He didn’t know what to do, he couldn’t deal with his grief. So, in his mournful state, he sought the help of a witch. Everyone called her Mother. She was this vile angry being with powers you couldn’t imagine. My father struck a deal with her. He wanted me to come back to life. To do that the witch wanted my father’s governing power. So he married her. Mother betrayed him though. She brought me halfway back. I’m not technically dead and not technically alive.”

Carmilla took a deep breath in. “She killed my father but I was still here. I screamed at her. I begged her to let me pass on but she wouldn’t let me. She made me guard this house. I knew every secret of every person who ever wanted to betray Mother. She promised me one day I would live again but… it would come at a price. It’s pathetic how poetic she made it. She wanted to trap me here forever. She said I would only be human again when…” _When I was seen and loved._ “When I human saw me and befriended me. But… to appease the balance a life would have to be taken.”

“And so my mother’s life was taken.” Laura finished the unsaid sentence. “For you to live. My mother had to die.”

“Laura, I am so sorry.” Carmilla choked back tears. “I had no idea.”

“So am I.” That was the last sentence Laura uttered to Carmilla.

* * *

 

Laura stopped seeing Carmilla after that night. She couldn’t feel her and she couldn’t see her. Carmilla was back to the isolated being she was all those years ago.

Carmilla had forgotten how lonely it was.

Laura got better after a year. She came out to her dad and she got her first girlfriend. A tall girl named Danny Lawrence.

To say Carmilla was jealous would be the understatement of the millennia. When the couple sat on the couch for a movie night Carmilla would mess with the TV.

When they would make out on Laura’s bed Carmilla would randomly shove things off to frighten them. Laura knew who it was but Danny was terrified. Terrified enough to never to couple things in the house. Carmilla knew they still did it at the bean pole’s house but at least she didn’t have to see it.

Another year went by and it was Laura’s eighteenth birthday. Carmilla watched from her corner as Laura got ready for a night out with her friends. Carmilla’s heart tugged at the beautiful woman Laura had become. Carmilla wanted nothing more than to hold Laura, to speak to her, to kiss her and make Laura happy.

Carmilla saw through Laura’s façade. She missed Carmilla and by god did Carmilla miss Laura.

Later that night when Laura came crawling back in too drunk to walk she collapsed onto her bed, sleeping in seconds.

Walking to the sleeping body Carmilla bent down and gently kissed the little cupcake’s cheek like she had been doing for the past eighteen years. “Happy birthday cupcake. I wish you all the happiness in the world. I love you.” Carmilla stood up but before she walked away she heard Laura whisper a quiet:

“Carmilla?”

Carmilla froze and let out a hopeful “Yes?” Laura rolled over and looked up at Carmilla.

“You’re still here?” Laura’s face was lit with pale moonlight. She was a lot more sober than Carmilla had thought.

“I never left.”

Laura’s eyes watered and she smiled a little. “I broke up with Danny tonight.”

“I’m sorry.” Carmilla lied.

“No you’re not.” Laura laughed and moved over to make room for Carmilla.

“No, I’m not.” Hesitantly Carmilla lay down and folded her hands over her stomach.

“How come you’re not alive?” Laura asked. Carmilla jumped a little, the girl was quiet so long she had thought she was sleeping. “I mean my mom is dead so…”

“After your mom… you stopped… loving me.” Carmilla coughed at the use of the word ‘love’. “So I couldn’t come alive since not all terms were met.”

“Oh.” Was all Laura said.

“Yeah.” Carmilla cringed at the awkwardness.

“I never hated you though.” Laura admitted. “I was so angry, but when I realised I couldn’t see or hear you anymore I was so sad.”

“I never left you Laura.” Carmilla promised.

“I know.” Laura whispered. “Hey Carm, do you know what I wished for on my ninth birthday?”

“No, you never told me.”

“I wished you could be with me every day. I know you already were. I guess I wished you could be alive, with me, forever.” Carmilla tensed and turned her head to look at Laura to find that the other girl was already staring at Carmilla with those shining gorgeous eyes.

“I think even back then I knew I loved you.” Carmilla gasped. “I’ve missed you so much Carm. I’m so sorry for what I did.” Laura smiled softly and leaned up to place a soft kiss on the corner of Carmilla’s mouth. Like a bolt of lightning had struck her Carmilla’s entire body felt as though it was on fire and yet freezing at the exact same time. For the first time in over three hundred years Carmilla’s body felt the temperature of the room, the softness of the duvet, and the heat of the body next to her.

“Laura…” Carmilla breathed and sat up. Turning she reached out and cupped the warm soft cheek of the surprised girl next to her.

“You-you’re alive.” Laura exclaimed loudly and poked Carmilla’s chin. Carmilla’s laughter was borderline hysterical.

“Yeah I am.” Carmilla wiped away happy tears and leant her forehead against Laura’s.

“I love you Laura.” Carmilla murmured softly.

“I love you too Carmilla.” Laura gently said before placing her hand on the back of Carmilla’s neck and guided the brunette to her. The kiss was soft. Laura’s lips were everything Carmilla had ever imagined. Hungrily Carmilla laced her hands into Laura’s hair and kissed her with a passion that had been building up for three years.

Laura had come from a cute irritating baby, to a child that became her best friend, to finally a girl that consumed Carmilla’s entire heart.

When they finally broke apart they stared into each other’s eyes before hugging each other tightly.

“I don’t know how I am going to explain this to my dad.” Laura laughed as she tightened her hold on the other girl.

“We’ll work it out together.” Carmilla chuckled and kissed Laura’s shoulder before burying her head in the other girl’s neck.

“I really like the sound of that.”

**Author's Note:**

> To be honest i don't know what happened in here. Be honest and let me know what you think. My tumblr is conditionsforvictory. Come say hi, I promise i don't bite.


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